City Green plans to grow fresh food for low-income residents

MOUNT OLIVE – A new 12-acre farm in Morris County, named City Green, plans to help low-income residents, who do not have access to fresh food.

City Green Director Jennifer Papa that has agreed to cultivate this 12-acre set of land in mount olive and use the fresh produce to help those in need.

“We are hoping to create a lot of access to fresh organic produce,” City Green Executive Director Jennifer Papa said.

According to the organization, the harvest from the open space will one day be going to local food pantries and low-income residents in nearby cities such as Paterson and Passaic.

“This going to be their opportunity to get fresh food to get it at a discount price. Healthy food. Locally grown food,” Land Conservancy of New Jersey President David Epstein said.

Though many people in urban areas struggle to get access to fresh produce, Papa said rural communities like mount olive have issues as well.

“People have transportation barriers. Difficulty accessing the supermarket. And sometimes produce is not affordable,” Papa said.

Farmer Henry Anderson, who will be working on the set of land, said the vegetables grown from this open plot will be organic and the soil has already been given nutrients.

“We do all regenerative practices. Mainly just fertilizing with compost, organic materials,” Anderson said. “To have this much space to help our growing programs for food access is going to be incredible.”